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Helicopter was scheduled to pick up ailing boy, take him to children's hospital

The helicopter crashed about halfway between Memphis and destination of Bolivar

It's the second fatal crash since 2010 for Hospital Wing helicopter service

A medical helicopter crashed on its way to pick up an ailing child in southwestern Tennessee Tuesday morning, killing the pilot and two Memphis children's hospital workers, officials at the hospital said.

The helicopter crashed around 6:20 a.m. near Somerville, about halfway between Memphis and the crew's destination of Bolivar, officials at Memphis' Le Bonheur Children's Hospital told reporters Tuesday morning.

The crew planned to pick up a boy who was in renal failure at a Bolivar hospital and take him to Le Bonheur, but the helicopter never reached the destination, Le Bonheur CEO Meri Armour said.

Aerial video of the crash site from CNN affiliate WMC showed smoke rising from wreckage in a wooded area. Officials said they didn't have information about what led to the crash.

"They have taken care of so many kids in their short lives," Dr. Jay Pershad, medical director of Le Bonheur's air transport program, said of the crew Tuesday. "I can't tell you how incredibly difficult it is for the entire team."